Trying to gain weight - Looking for advice on combining strength training with a new diet :)

NikaBlake

I'm currently on a weight gaining mission, not so much for muscle but just to feel stronger, healthier and then toned. I've been increasing my calorie intake for 2 weeks now, and I was going to wait for a significant gain ( I haven't quite decided what I'm going to regard as significant just yet lol ) However, I have noticed a lot of advice stating that training helps and is just as important in gaining as is maintaining the correct diet.
Any tips on picking a good time to start training and what is best to start with would be greatly appreciated.
Please bear in mind though, that although I am rather active in my daily routine, I do not currently work out and have never attempted lifting or any sort of strength training before.

AliceDark

Assuming you're not in ED recovery...start right now. Find a good beginner lifter program (Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting, Ice Cream Fitness) and start running that. Without some kind of progressive resistance training program, your gains are going to be primarily fat.

If you are in recovery, you shouldn't exercise unless/until your doctor says it's okay.

NikaBlake

AliceDark wrote: »

Assuming you're not in ED recovery...start right now. Find a good beginner lifter program (Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting, Ice Cream Fitness) and start running that. Without some kind of progressive resistance training program, your gains are going to be primarily fat.

If you are in recovery, you shouldn't exercise unless/until your doctor says it's okay.

No I'm not in recovery. Thanks for the advice, I always thought you had to gain some fat and then turn that into muscle. So are they like verified programs? I mean I could just Google stuff, but there's a world of altered info and advice on the web and it's hard to know what's actually useful and correct
Thanks again!

xmichaelyx

Fat doesn't turn into muscle. Start working out now while you're gaining, and some of that gain will be muscle.

The programs Alice recommended are extremely well-known and well-respected, because they all work for absolutely any beginner who sticks to them. Pick one of the programs, do it religiously, don't change it for at least 6 months. At that point you might decide to reevaluate (or you might decide to continue with it for another 6 months).

DON'T CHANGE IT FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS. These boards are full of people who start a program and 2 weeks later decide to do something else -- this is a recipe for failure. In 2 weeks, you've accomplished nothing and learned nothing.

I'd recommend New Rules of Lifting for Women, because there's a group here to answer your questions about it, and because women here at MFP seem to really like it.

Good luck!

NikaBlake

xmichaelyx wrote: »

Fat doesn't turn into muscle. Start working out now while you're gaining, and some of that gain will be muscle.

The programs Alice recommended are extremely well-known and well-respected, because they all work for absolutely any beginner who sticks to them. Pick one of the programs, do it religiously, don't change it for at least 6 months. At that point you might decide to reevaluate (or you might decide to continue with it for another 6 months).

DON'T CHANGE IT FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS. These boards are full of people who start a program and 2 weeks later decide to do something else -- this is a recipe for failure. In 2 weeks, you've accomplished nothing and learned nothing.

I'd recommend New Rules of Lifting for Women, because there's a group here to answer your questions about it, and because women here at MFP seem to really like it.

Good luck!

6 months! Woah sounds intense but it does make a lot of sense...and I'm always up for a challenge. I've come this far. Thanks for clarifying about the programs too. I will look into them...Hopefully Monday shall be the start of phase 2!!